It will take some time for the Vikings to become acclimated to Mike Zimmer, who replaced the fired Leslie Frazier. So what awaits them?

Three of their first five and five of their first eight games on the road.

The Vikings might have to learn fast under Zimmer to stay in the playoff race. If they do, they at least will finish with four of six at home, including one stretch of three straight home games.

Here’s a game-by-game look at Minnesota’s 2014 schedule, which was announced Wednesday:

GAME 1: Sunday, Sept. 7, at St. Louis Rams, noon, Fox

Don’t be surprised if lots of points are scored on the fast track at the Edward Jones Dome. In the past six games there between the teams, they’ve combined for an average of 65.8 points.

GAME 2: Sunday, Sept. 14, vs. New England Patriots, noon, CBS

The Vikings will put to test early a secondary that was porous last year. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will play his second game at Minnesota. He threw for 372 yards in his first visit in 2006.

GAME 3: Sunday, Sept. 21, at New Orleans Saints, noon, Fox

The Vikings have lost three straight to the Saints. Of course, the one that still makes fans queasy is the overtime defeat in the January 2010 NFC Championship Game.

GAME 4: Sunday, Sept. 28, vs. Atlanta Falcons, noon, Fox

Zimmer is popular with the Falcons. He was their defensive coordinator in 2007 and later called despised former coach Bobby Petrino “gutless” and a “coward” for quitting.

GAME 5: Thursday, Oct. 2, at Green Bay Packers, 7:25 p.m., CBS

The only prime-time game on the schedule. The last two ties in Vikings history have come against Green Bay, 26-26 last year and 10-10 in 1978. Could there be another?

GAME 6: Sunday, Oct. 12, vs. Detroit Lions, noon, Fox

This is the only weekend all season when the Gophers and the Vikings both play at TCF Bank Stadium. The Gophers face Northwestern Oct. 11. There looks to be a decent chance for a home sweep.

GAME 7: Sunday, Oct. 19, vs. Buffalo Bills, noon, Fox

Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson never has played at Buffalo. No doubt Donald Trump will be hoping the Bills can slow him down.

GAME 8: Sunday, Oct. 26, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, noon, Fox

The Vikings will run into the well-liked Frazier, now Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator. But they won’t mind if Frazier doesn’t have a defense any better than last year’s woeful Minnesota unit.

GAME 9: Sunday, Nov. 2, vs. Washington Redskins, noon, Fox

These guys are practically becoming rivals. This marks the fifth straight season the teams have met. The Vikings have won three of the past four.

GAME 10: Sunday, Nov. 16, at Chicago Bears, noon, Fox

The Vikings run into defensive end Jared Allen, who bolted to Chicago after six Minnesota seasons. Vikings defensive end Brian Robison already has texted Allen to not wish him luck.

GAME 11: Sunday, Nov. 23, vs. Green Bay Packers, noon, Fox

This marks the first of three straight home games for the Vikings, the first time they’ve had such a stretch since 2009. It turned out well then as they won all three.

GAME 12: Sunday, Nov. 30, vs. Carolina Panthers, noon, Fox

The Vikings figure to have revenge on their minds. They suffered an ugly 35-10 home loss last October to the Panthers, which dropped the Vikings to 1-4 and made it apparent they wouldn’t make the playoffs.

GAME 13: Sunday, Dec. 7, vs. New York Jets, noon, CBS

Two teams meet that have had big recent quarterback troubles. Throw in some December weather and it could be a defensive struggle.

GAME 14: Sunday, Dec. 14 at Detroit Lions, noon, Fox

On his last trip to Ford Field, Peterson scored on a 78-yard TD run on his first carry of 2013. After an injury-riddled season, Peterson wants to get back to more such plays.

GAME 15: Sunday, Dec. 21, at Miami Dolphins, noon, Fox

The Vikings haven’t won in Miami since 1976, which was their first visit and it was Fran Tarkenton against Bob Griese. Then again, they’ve only played there three other times.

GAME 16: Sunday, Dec. 28, vs. Chicago Bears, noon, Fox

Allen expects to be booed in his first trip back to Minnesota. He probably will. But he’ll one day be cheered again in Minnesota when inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor.

Chris joined the Pioneer Press in 2013 to cover the Vikings. He was a longtime NBA writer with the Akron Beacon Journal, Rocky Mountain News and AOL FanHouse. Before coming to Minnesota, he covered the Miami Heat and Dolphins for Fox Sports. Chris has won four awards in the past three Pro Football Writers of America contests. Chris is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he spent his college years watching the losingest team in the history of Division I-A football.

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